Erdogan Orders Schools to Teach Muslim Discovery of Americas ?

[MosJan]

Reza Zarrab is a Turkey-based businessman. He holds Iranian, Azerbaijani and Turkish citizenship. He was arrested and charged with money laundering among the other allegations in the United States on 19 March 2016

[MosJan]

Reza Zarrab: Turkey reels from gold bullion scandal as spotlight lands on Erdogan allies

 

The love of gold, stashed under floorboards for emergencies, may be deeply ingrained in Turkish culture. But Reza Zarrab, a 33-year-old Turkish-Iranian millionaire, is learning fast that the US authorities are not as willing as his allies in Turkey to turn a blind eye to millions of dollars of smuggled gold bullion.

Zarrab, a businessman and gold trader who owns yachts, private jets and a $72m (£51m) villa on the shores of the Bosphorus, was at the centre of a money-laundering scandal in Turkey in 2013, and was arrested by US authorities on 19 March. He is now due to face a federal court in Miami.

[Yervant1]

Huffington Post
April 1 2016


Turkey’s Lobbyists Seek U.S. Help By Calling Tiny Armenia A Big Threat

Armenia is allowing Russia to menace NATO member Turkey, according to
the lobbyists.

Akbar Shahid Ahmed, Foreign Affairs Reporter, The Huffington Post
Nick Baumann, Senior Enterprise Editor, The Huffington Post

WASHINGTON — A lobbying firm that’s a registered agent of the Turkish
government is trying out a new argument during Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the U.S. this week: the Russians are coming,
and Armenia is helping them.

Representatives from Mercury LLC have contacted multiple congressional
offices to argue that Russia’s presence in Armenia, a small country on
Turkey’s border that has tensions with the Turks lingering from the
1915 genocide of Armenian Christians, makes it important for the U.S.
to close ranks with fellow NATO member Turkey, according to two
Capitol Hill aides.

Mercury, which registered to work on behalf of Turkey last month,
hopes to convince lawmakers to attach their names to two separate
documents, an aide told The Huffington Post.

One is a letter addressed to Secretary of State John Kerry that
focuses on the “growing military alliance between Russia and Armenia”
— citing the flow of Russian fighter jets, helicopters gunships and
drones to Armenia. It calls the Russia-Armenia relationship “deeply
concerning.”

The other is what’s called a “Dear Colleague” letter, intended to be
passed from one member of Congress to others to drum up congressional
interest. The “Dear Colleague” missive is to be sent April 4, when
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will be in Washington.

The document doesn’t mention Turkey by name, but states, “The time to
stand with our allies is now.” It also encourages recipients to read
an op-ed by James Foley, a former deputy chief of staff to the NATO
secretary-general. The copy of the letter seen by HuffPost does not
include a link to that op-ed, but one of the aides said Mercury on
Thursday sent his office a Time magazine piece by Foley that
highlights Russian aggression against NATO and says Turkey is more
important to the security alliance than ever. Foley served as U.S.
ambassador to Croatia from 2009 to 2012, and was a Bush administration
senior coordinator on the Iraqi refugee issue.

Asked for comment, Mercury shared a statement from an organization
called the Turkish Institute for Progress.

“The Turkish Institute for Progress along with U.S. security experts
and officials are calling on Armenia to expel the two Russian bases in
Armenia and to sever its military ties with [President Vladimir]
Putin’s Russia. The close relationship between Russia and Armenia
speaks for itself,” said Derya Taskin, the institute’s president.

Mercury’s work “is on behalf of TIP,” which is not government-funded,
Mercury’s John Cpin said in an email. “We have consistently been
educating congress about the concerns surrounding Putin’s influence in
Armenia and the threat to NATO that influence represents,” he added.

It’s too soon to predict the impact of the lobbying effort. Many
lawmakers are skeptical of Putin because of his aggressions against
Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014. But it’s hardly news for most
national experts that Putin is close with Armenia, and Turkey’s
military dispute with Russia over an alleged airspace violation late
last year prompted little U.S. reaction.

Meanwhile, Erdogan and Turkey are fairly toxic in Washington. Experts
on Turkey and human rights groups have blasted the Turkish
government’s brutal treatment of civilian members of its Kurdish
minority as part of its fight against Kurdish militants. That
heavy-handedness is consistent with Erdogan’s general repression of
civil society, which includes the targeting of journalists.

At the same time, Kurdish forces in Syria, which see Turkey as an
enabler of the so-called Islamic State, have been heroes in the West
since their triumphs against ISIS in 2015. Those Syrian Kurds have
cooperated with Putin without any significant effect on their
popularity in Washington — something Turkey’s messaging machine may
want to keep in mind.

Erdogan’s visit this week has done little to improve his image in the
U.S. Scores of protesters showed up to his address at the Brookings
Institution on Thursday, and Turkish security officers tackled
journalists trying to cover it, calling one “a PKK whore.” (The PKK is
the primary Kurdish militant group battling the Turkish state and is
listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the
European Union. Turkey distrusts the Syrian Kurdish militia battling
ISIS, the YPG, because it sees that group as an extension of the PKK.)

President Barack Obama only agreed to meet with Erdogan Thursday night
after initially declining to do so. The two leaders clearly do not see
eye to eye: Erdogan doubled down on his criticism of the Obama
administration’s outreach to the Syrian Kurds in his Brookings
Institution speech. Obama, for his part, considers Erdogan “a failure
and an authoritarian,” according to a detailed Atlantic magazine
report on the president’s thinking about world politics.

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[Yervant1]

Turkish, Israeli officials clandestinely meet in Sweden, reports

By News Desk - 04/04/2016

http://www.groong.com/news/attachments/msg568690/pngqDzRDqFfaz.png

The Undersecretary of Turkish Foreign Ministers, Feridun Sinirlioğlu, recently held a secret meeting with Israel’s spy chief in Sweden to strengthen bilateral ties between the two states, reports revealed.

The relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated after Israeli soldiers raided the Turkish flotilla (Mavi Marmara) while heading to lift Gaza blockade in May 2010. However, both countries began gradually restoring diplomatic and economic ties.

In January 2009, Erdogan harshly criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza at the World Economic Forum conference in Davos.

Nonetheless, many analysts, including Ashton Meyer, believe the Davos argument was nothing but a farce manipulated by Erdogan to present himself as the new defender of Palestinian cause.

“Having failed in dealing issues with Europe, Armenia, Russia, Syria, Iraq and Iran, Erdogan began improving ties with Israel”, Meyer said.

Meyer also wrote: “when I compare how the Turkish people welcomed Erdogan after returning from Davos conference in Istanbul airport with the blood-covered faces of Gaza children, I just can’t tell who is the most unfortunate”

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/turkish-israeli-officials-clandestinely-meet-sweden-reports/

[Yervant1]

Demirtas: Armenians and Kurds lived in Anatolia even before Turks' arrival

15:43, 11.04.2016

The Armenians and Kurds lived in Anatolia even before Turks' arrival,
HDP leader Selahattin Demirtas said.

Demirtas voices criticism against anti-Kurdish statements of Turkish President.

According to the Turkish website T24.com, Demirtas said that he wants
to remind Erdogan: even before arrival of Turks in Anatolia, the
Armenians and Kurds lived there.

The HDP leader also mentioned that when Alparslan invaded Anatolia,
the Armenians had already lived there.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__news.am_eng_news_321640.html&d=CwIBaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=2sqPG3SFLIs1WO1knegDsgQFzBqmGKfrFLE53Ke3ats&s=YPM0BGzSlvs1rigl6Uwr8mQRgPnGTLwO6nRPx-TRNs8&e=

[Yervant1]

http://www.ragmamoul.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/414.jpg

Հոլանտական Թերթը էրտողանը Պատկերած է Կապիկի Տեսքով

Posted By: adminPosted date: April 29, 2016in: Լուրեր ԱշխարհէնNo Comments

Հոլանտացի լրագրողները կապիկի տեսքով պատկերած են Թուրքիոյ նախագահ Ռեճեպ Թայիպ Էրտողանը, որ կը ճնշէ եւրոպական խօսքի ազատութիւնը:

Նկարը հրապարակուած է Հալանտայի ամենաընթերցուող պարբերականներէն մէկուն` De Telegraaf-ի մէջ: Ըստ Lenta-ի նկարը մակագրուած է «Էրտողանի երկար ձեռքը»:

էրտողանը պատկերած են կապիկի տեսքով, իսկ կինը, զոր ան կը ճզմէ, նման է թրքական ծագումով հոլանտացի գրող Էպրայ Ումարին, որ Կիրակի` Ապրիլ 24-ին, Թուրքիոյ մէջ ձերբակալուած է: Զայն կը մեղադրեն Twitter-ի մէջ Էրտողանը վիրաւորելու համար: Աւելի ուշ զայն ազատ արձակած են` չհեռանալու մասին ստորագրութեամբ:

Ապրիլ 13-ին յայտնի դարձաւ նաեւ, որ գերմանական հեռուստաեթերով Էրտողանի մասին վիրաւորական բանաստեղծութիւն կարդացած լրագրող Եան Պեոմերմանը՝ Գերմանիոյ ոստիկանութիւնը կալանքի տակ վերցուցած է:

[Yervant1]

Swiss rebuff Turkish request to remove art critical of Erdogan

Cyprus Mail
April 27, 2016 Wednesday

Swiss authorities said on Tuesday they had rebuffed a Turkish request
to remove a photography installation critical of Turkey's President
Tayyip Erdogan from a public square in front of the U.N. site in
Geneva.

The Swiss decision stands in contrast to Germany's move this month to
allow prosecutors to pursue a case against satirist Jan Boehmermann
after he recited a crude poem about the Turkish leader on German
public television in March.

The art installation by Demir Sonmez, a Kurdish-Armenian photographer
who gave up his Turkish nationality in 2005, shows dozens of
photographs of demonstrations that have taken place in front of the
United Nations in Geneva over recent years.

One photo shows a banner with the face of a boy who died after
sustaining injuries at an anti-government protest in Istanbul in 2013.
The banner also shows a message blaming Erdogan and his orders to the
police for the boy's death.

When asked for comment, the Turkish consulate in Geneva referred
Reuters to the embassy in Berne, whose spokespeople were not
immediately available. A spokesman for the city of Geneva said the
request came from the Turkish consulate.

The embassy told Swiss broadcaster SRF it respected the freedom of any
artist, but said the photo put Erdogan "under suspicion in an unjust
and unreal fashion".

Officials in Turkey were not immediately available to comment.

The city of Geneva said in a statement it stood by the photo
exhibition, which includes pictures of protests for and against
Israel, for the rights of the Yazidi minority in Iraq and in support
of Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan.

"The exhibition of the photographs is part of defending freedom of
expression and underlines Geneva's position as capital of human
rights," the city's administrative council said, adding the
installation would run until May 1.

Sonmez said he was not surprised by Turkey's request. "In the end,
Turkey shot itself in the foot," he told Reuters.

Turkish prosecutors have opened more than 1,800 cases against people
for insulting Erdogan since he became president in 2014, the justice
minister said last month. Those targeted include journalists,
cartoonists and even children.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow prosecutors
to investigate Boehmermann upon Erdogan's request is opposed by two
thirds of Germans, according to an opinion poll.

Merkel was a driving force behind an EU deal with Turkey, which sees
Ankara help manage the refugee crisis and be rewarded with financial
aid, visa-free travel and progress in its EU membership negotiations.

The post Swiss rebuff Turkish request to remove art critical of
Erdogan appeared first on Cyprus Mail.

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[Yervant1]

Every leader blasts Turkey's actions, but they do absolutely nothing. Almost all of Europe and USA complain and yet they keep supporting them, go figure this one out if you can!

British Prime Minister: Turkey is governed by a demagogue pro-Al Qaeda dictator

Top News 29 April 2016

British Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday blasted Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accusing him of supporting al-Qaeda
linked rebels in Syria.

Mr. David Cameron in his two-day trip to Edinborough reiterated his
country’s firm stance against the Saudi-backed terrorism across Europe
and emphasized the urgent importance of strengthening Anglo-American
ties in wide-ranging fields, particularly in combating terrorism.

“I told President Obama earlier this month that MI6 had presented us
with the incontrovertible facts regarding Turkish mischievous role in
Syria and we believe Turkish officials’ current policies won’t create
any conditions conducive to bring peace to the battle-scarred nation,”
the Scottish News Agency (SNA) quoted the British premiere as saying
during a press conference at Edinborough's city council, adding,
Turkey is governed by a demagogue pro-Al Qaeda dictator.

“We still believe Assad must relinquish the power and United Kingdom
along with her other international partners will continue to support
moderate opposition factions in Syria but Turkey's Erdoğan is singing
a different tune by supporting the ‘the very wrong guys’,” added
Cameron urging Ankara to desist from its support for ISIS terrorists.

Meanwhile, President of the South Kurdistan autonomous Region, Massoud
Barzani accused Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT) of
providing ISIS terrorists with advanced weaponry, including long-range
artillery , TOYOTA armoured cars and shoulder-launched missiles
(Stinger).

“Kurds lost their confidence with Turkish fascist government as they
witnessed their brothers and sisters slaughtered by Erdoğan’s ISIS
mercenaries and this would eventuate in a long-term sectarian
hostilities between neighboring Kurdish and Turkish communities,” said
Massoud Barzani in a recent interview with Qatari-based Al Jazeera
news channel.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.awdnews.com_top-2Dnews_british-2Dprime-2Dminister-2Dturkey-2Dis-2Dgoverned-2Dby-2Da-2Ddemagogue-2Dpro-2Dal-2Dqaeda-2Ddictator&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=7fYKNRzq9hPGMWALhaiFbj_zsL-5-jaJyMwhWs0N56w&s=LKzjW8npZ_JGFJuZlyC8-z-sWvEcLgrN_UOSz4dY8A4&e=

 

[MosJan]

kurds display

turks on display by kurds

 

 

https://youtu.be/h6tlKSo0pxI

[MosJan]

http://mamul.am/images/photos/160429/haghtanakac-qrdern-i-n83789-1.jpg

[Yervant1]

The Express Tribune, Pakistan
April 29, 2016 Friday


Turkey's authoritarian ossification

by Ayesha Hasan


There was a time in the not-too-distant past when it seemed almost
possible that Turkey would be able to join the European Union (EU)
after years of literally begging to be taken into the group. This
might have seen the country strengthen its commitment to liberal
democracy. Such an outcome now no longer seems possible. The damage
has been done. Thanks to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's increasing
authoritarianism, the situation in the country with respect to freedom
of speech, is getting tragic every day, with the government attempting
to suppress each critical voice within and beyond its borders. The
European parliament has already filed a resolution, expressing its
concerns over Turkey's backsliding from democracy; and as is the wont
in any authoritarian system, the political opposition in the country
is the governing regime's worst target.

The issues that afflict Turkey at the moment are as distinct as they
are convolutedly interwoven. The Turkish government has displayed
clear dictatorial tendencies. Over and over again, the ruling
Islamic-conservative Justice and Development party, or AKP, has
demonstrated disrespect for a free media. Its crackdown on several
media outlets critical of the government speaks volumes of its stance
on a free press. Most recent to be blocked was the Sputnik News
Agency's website for a Q and A session with the Russian president, who
was asked who he would save between the Turkish and Ukrainian
presidents if, in a hypothetical situation, both of them were
drowning. Moreover, in addition to two reporters currently involved in
a closed-door trial with charges of espionage for an article accusing
the Turkish government of providing arms to terrorist groups in Syria,
14 Turkish journalists were imprisoned last year; and most recently,
there is the president's direct complaint made to the German
chancellor, seeking the trial of German satirist and journalist Jan
Bohmermann, who read an offensive satirical poem on TV about President
Erdogan.

Turkey has longed for membership of the EU for a long time, but its
current regime clearly fails to understand that to fulfill the EU
dream, one of the boxes Ankara will have to tick is learning to accept
media critique, avoid exaggerated reactions to criticisms by
journalists, writers, academics and cartoonists, and letting go of its
habitual tendency of keeping the media under a tight leash. President
Erdogan's authoritarianism is, knowingly or otherwise, fanning the
flames of Turkish nationalism. The crackdown on Kurds, and military
adventurism in Iraq and Syria, manipulation of the refugee crisis and
an October 2015 EU report accusing Turkey of human rights abuses a
report Ankara considers null and void for its reference to the Ottoman
Empire's mass killing of Armenians as genocide have left a bad taste
in the mouth.

Time will tell whether Turkey's denial of rumours regarding the
scrapping of secularism from the country's new constitution will
overshadow Erdogan's recent demonstration of low-spirited commitment
to democratic values. Mere assurances of maintaining Turkey's secular
character will do no good. Unfortunately, President Erdogan, through
several recent controversial statements, is giving way to increased
political and religious fundamentalism in the country, the biggest
problem any secular democracy could face. It appears that increased
authoritarianism in Turkey has created a social, religious and
political vacuum, leaving it polarised. Not too long ago, Turkey was
the envy of the entire Muslim world for its marriage of Western
democracy and Islamic culture; a country that was seen to have the
potential to serve as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East; a
country free from the plague of terrorism and socio-political
instability. But what is happening now is not what the world saw
coming when President Erdogan promised a glorious New Turkey.

A spate of human rights abuses and the lack of media and political
freedoms have hurt democracy in Turkey and made its chances of
possible inclusion in the EU murky. Ankara needs to learn lesson(s)
from the experiences of its neighbours, where authoritarian regimes
could do little to save these countries from internal implosion. If
these lessons aren't learnt, and President Erdogan continues to ossify
this totalitarian dogma and rigid backward drive, Turkey might just
become another Syria.

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[Yervant1]

Turkish Nobel laureate says charges of insulting president aimed at
silencing dissent

20:05 • 03.05.16

Turkey is using the charge of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
to intimidate his opponents and silence dissent and European leaders
must take a tougher line with Ankara on free speech, Nobel
prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk said on May 3, the Hurriyet Daily
News reports.

Prosecutors have opened more than 1,800 cases against people for
insulting Erdoğan since he became president in 2014, including
journalists, cartoonists and teenagers. A German satirist is facing
prosecution after mocking him on German TV.

Speaking after a court hearing against Murat Belge, a fellow writer
and academic who was charged with insulting Erdoğan in a newspaper
column, Pamuk said Europe needed to pay more attention to Turkey's
record on freedom of expression as it strikes deals on visa
liberalization and migration.

"This has nothing to do with insulting the president. This is only
about silencing political opposition. This is about intimidating
people and scaring the country so nobody would criticize the
government," he told Reuters.

Pamuk, 64, was himself tried 10 years ago on charges of “insulting
Turkishness” for comments about the killings of Armenians and Kurds.
The charges were later dropped.

Erdoğan has repeatedly said he is open to criticism and dissent but
draws the line at insults, and that his lawyers will continue to bring
cases against those who insult him. His aides deny suggestions the
legal actions aim to silence opponents.

"Erdoğan is quite determined to create a new society where there is no
principle of the separation of powers," said Belge, 73, outside the
Istanbul courthouse. He denies the charges against him and his case
was adjourned to Sept. 20.

European Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime
minister, and jailed in the 1980s for opposing Poland's communist
government, said last month Erdoğan needed a thicker skin against
criticism.

But Erdoğan's opponents in Turkey, as well as rights groups, have
criticized Europe for striking a deal with Ankara promising
accelerated EU accession negotiations and visa-free travel to Europe
in return for help curbing a migrant crisis, while doing too little to
challenge its deteriorating rights record.

"I hope the leaders of the EU when they are shaking hands with Turkish
leaders ... would also occasionally talk about free speech," said
Pamuk, who won the literature Nobel Prize in 2006.

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[Yervant1]

Paylan Attacked in Parliament as AKP Strips MPs of Immunity

By Weekly Staff on May 3, 2016

Paylan: This Is an Attack against Me and My Identity

ANKARA, Turley (A.W.)—Prior to the approval by a Turkish parliamentary
committee of a bill stripping parliamentarians of their immunity, a
physical fight broke out on May 2 between members of the Peoples’
Democratic Party (HDP) and the ruling Justice and Development (AKP)
party. HDP’s Armenian Parliamentarian Garo Paylan was targeted in the
attack, both physically and through hate speech. Paylan called the
attack a premeditated “lynching” campaign in a press statement on May
3. This was the second fight in parliament in the past five days.

MP Garo Paylan at the HDP Parliamentary office in Ankara (Photo: Rupen
Janbazian)

The proposed bill aims to shed the immunity of MPs who are currently
facing investigations. According to the HDP, the immunity bill was
drafted and approved specifically to target them and to suppress
opposition to the ruling regime.

The bill will be debated in the parliament’s General Assembly and then
voted on in order to be put into practice. Reuters quoted senior AKP
member Bulent Turan as saying that the ruling AKP wishes for the
parliamentary debate to begin on May 16, and for the vote to take
place by May 18.

Members of parliament exchanged punches, kicks, and threw objects at
each other on May 2, prompting HDP members to withdraw from the
chamber.

“Today, news agencies spread information that it was I who ‘poured oil
on the fire’ and ‘sparked’ [the fight]; [they are] depicting the HDP
Parliamentarians as the cause of the physical violence, and [are]
distorting the truth,” said Paylan in the statement.

“As is evident in the video, Istanbul AKP member Mehmet Metiner
attacked me, after which a fistfight broke out and the premeditated
lynching commenced,” Paylan said.

“I condemn this hate speech and hate crime that were directed at me
and my identity,” he added.

Paylan said that he was personally targeted by members of the AKP,
after he dismissed Turkey’s Justice Minister’s claims that the HDP had
instigated a fight in parliament on April 28. Paylan also said that he
thought the attack on HDP members was planned in advance, and the fact
that he is an ethnic Armenian made him a target.

“During the attack, AKP members pointed at me and yelled ‘Come, Garo
is there,’ and stressed my Armenian heritage, yelling hateful slurs
directed at me,” Paylan said in the press statement following the
fight, adding “the fascists are scared, and will attack insidiously
only in groups.”

In a statement following the attack, the Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA) said it had repeatedly and unsuccessfully called on
the U.S. government to condemn the political prosecution, persecution,
and threats directed against Agos Editor Hrant Dink prior to his 2007
murder. “Despite all our efforts and the clear facts on the ground,
the U.S. Department of State and the White House could not find their
way to utter even one public word in his defense. One expression of
concern. One word on his behalf. That is, until his death,” said
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram
Hamparian in a statement.

“Let us work to ensure that the same fate does not befall Garo
Paylan—a truth teller and peace maker who deserves the support, not
the silence, of the elected representatives of the American people,”
said Hamparian.

Below is a video footage of the attack in parliament.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.youtube.com_watch-3Fv-3DQ9A3xwVJRTU&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=pa_BxUiJmSJseLhqTRMmYKTcADrUCPN13NoMBURRUIs&s=swq_yYTl78444GPoP-J2pckqRSOXjdxZVmFRzLrYhxY&e=


https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.youtube.com_watch-3Fv-3DhEb92P40G-5Fg&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=pa_BxUiJmSJseLhqTRMmYKTcADrUCPN13NoMBURRUIs&s=2k0brS2hBzVy8LGDO8K6xv5rM_ZwC9-uprwSz4tEMIg&e=


https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__armenianweekly.com_2016_05_03_paylan-2Dattacked_&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=pa_BxUiJmSJseLhqTRMmYKTcADrUCPN13NoMBURRUIs&s=Mn8iAmvAfJMdWGE5IGDcLI2FQEEjMPrauijlfAUbH6o&e=

[Yervant1]

Ցեղասպանութիւնը Ճանչցած Լրատուական Բաժինի Տնօրէնը

http://www.ragmamoul.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/4.jpg

Թուրքիոյ Մէջ Ձերբակալած են Հայոց Ցեղասպանութիւնը Ճանչցած Լրատուական Բաժինի Տնօրէնը

Posted By: adminPosted date: May 04, 2016in: Այլեւայլ ԼուրերNo Comments

Թուրքիոյ մէջ ձերբակալուած է IMC TV հեռուստաընկերութեան լրատուական բաժինի տնօրէն Համզա Աքթանը:

Վկայակոչելով IMC TV-ն Hayeli.am-ը կը հաղորդէ, թէ ոստիկանութիւնը Ապրիլ 30-ի առաւօտեան խուզարկած է Համզա Աքթանի բնակարանը եւ ձերբակալած զինք:

Նշենք, որ IMC TV-ն Թուրքիոյ եզակի հեռուստաընկերութիւններէն է, որ կը ճանչնայ Հայոց Ցեղասպանութիւնը եւ ունի հայերէնով «Կամուրջ» հաղորդաշարը:

[Yervant1]

Armenia Minister of Diaspora: We are concerned over Garo Paylan’s security

18:22, 4 May, 2016

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Diaspora of Armenia Hranush
Hakobyan is concerned over the personal security of Armenian member of
Turkish parliament Garo Paylan, Minister Hakobyan told “Armenpress”,
commenting on the violence and attacks on the MP in the recent days.

“The footage that appeared on the internet in the recent days clearly
shows that the Turkish MPs attack Armenian MP Garo Paylan in an
in-advance planned manner, subjecting him to physical violence and
shouting offensive words addressed to his Armenian identity. These are
overt attempts of silencing calls for justice and a racist
demonstration of ethnic discrimination, which, unfortunately, continue
in Turkey for over 100 years.

The Armenian MP, believing that the parliament is a platform for free
expression of opinions, voiced about the brutal assassination of 7
Armenian MPs during the Armenian Genocide, raising the issue of the
investigation of those murders and reburial of the MPs. This irritated
the representatives of the ruling party. The MP, that enjoys trust of
the people, is subjected to physical, psychological and moral
tortures, while the international community is indifferent to this
situation that has no links with civilization.

We are really worried over the personal security of Garo Paylan. We
know that years ago Hrant Dink was killed in Turkey for freely and
boldly expressing his ideas, the trial of which continues up till now,
periodically taking a form of farce”, Hranush Hakobyan said.


https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__armenpress.am_eng_news_846190_armenia-2Dminister-2Dof-2Ddiaspora-2Dwe-2Dare-2Dconcerned-2Dover-2Dgaro-2Dpaylan-25E2-2580-2599s-2Dsecurity.html&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=SVi17OA8MU0Ozoexds5ol_48-T3UT7P4hqT82Mo2_Cs&s=1q2QyW9wbKVbe08zuJMSuvRg-N7S69Focb-Ac7IN094&e=

[Yervant1]

Paylan Case: Armenians voice concern over attack on Turkish-Armenian lawmaker

By ALINA NIKOGHOSYAN -

May 5, 2016

Hakob Chakryan / Photo: Photolure

The recent attack on an ethnic Armenian member of the Turkish
parliament has sparked an outcry in Armenia and its Diaspora, with
many seeing it as another manifestation of racism and xenophobia in
Turkey.

Hakob Chakryan, an expert in Turkish studies, thinks this latest case
shows Turkey has not changed its approach towards Armenia and
Armenians.

In a bigger brawl in the Turkish parliament on Monday, Garo Paylan, a
Turkish-Armenian legislator from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP),
claimed to have been targeted specifically for his ethnicity.

The attack on the man known for his advocacy of Armenian issues in
Turkey sparked an angry reaction, including from Armenian-American
organizations.

The Armenian National Committee of America has called upon U.S.
Ambassador to Turkey John Bass to publicly voice official U.S. concern
regarding the safety of Paylan. Earlier, it also urged the Obama
administration to condemn the attack.

In Armenia, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan also voiced her concern
over the incident with the Turkish-Armenian lawmaker.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.armenianow.com_en_news_region_2016_05_05_armenia-2Dturkey-2Ddeputy-2Dgaro-2Dpaylan-2Dattack-2Dunited-2Dstates_2666_&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=F3UUjFTwV_rFQPqk5pVl9r21Vn7zxsbzV8-unpvSmZk&s=QMd5qGlnMB5WqAsa1rnXmvmu_lmj51XLgN5ygsh_E_I&e=

[Yervant1]

Turkish Manhunt For Garo Paylan

May 5, 2016

By SETO BOYADJIAN, Esq.

Within the span of one week, it is the third time that legislators
from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) are making
physical attacks in the Turkish Parliament against their colleagues
from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). The Turkish media is calling
these attacks as a mere “kavga” – a brawl, while the media in the West
is referring to them as a simple “fistfight”.

Unfortunately, it is more sinister than a “kavga” or a “fistfight”.
It is a manhunt against the opposition lawmakers that can only end in
their physical elimination. This tragic prospect is more than real in
the AKP manhunt for HDP lawmaker Garo Paylan, who is of Armenian
origin. The incremental trend of these attacks speaks for themselves.

The first wave of attacks was initiated on April 27 during the
plenary session of parliament, when HDP deputy Ferhat Encü took a
courageous stand accusing the government for indiscriminate bombing
and killing of innocent citizens.

The second round of attacks came on April 28 during the meeting of
Parliamentary Constitution Conciliation Committee (PCCC) convened to
discuss legislation on lifting lawmakers’ immunity from prosecution.
The AKP members moved to usher the journalists out of the committee
room and asked for a change of the venue. When HDP lawmakers opposed
their motion, AKP deputies again resorted to physical attacks.

The third wave of AKP assault took place a few days ago, on May 2,
when the PCCC reconvened to discuss the legislation aimed at lifting
immunity for legislators. As soon as the meeting opened, AKP members
resorted to their usual physical attacks by kicking and throwing
punches at HDP lawmakers. This time, however, the AKP members were
targeting one person – HDP Istanbul MP Garo Paylan.

According to Mr. Paylan, the AKP MPs attacked him in a “planned way”
He “was directly targeted and got kicked and punched around 100 times
in 20-30 seconds.”

Soon after, AKP orchestrated a media attack led by AKP Istanbul MP
Mehmet Metiner, accusing Mr. Paylan of provocation. However, the
minutes of the committee are very clear. At the opening of the
meeting, referring to the postponement of the previous April 28
meeting, the Turkish Minister of Justice stated, “In the previous
commission meeting, HDP MPs and advisors inflicted violence”. Mr.
Paylan immediately uttered three words, “No they didn’t” – and the AKP
physical attacks began. The minutes of the committee’s April 28
meeting establish that the Justice Minister was lying through his
teeth.

This, then, was just a pretext to target Mr. Paylan. The attacks
against him assumed the countenance of a lynching party. As if it was
planned beforehand, 10-15 AKP people jointly surrounded him by
shouting “Garo is here, Garo is here…”. Then they began throwing their
kicks and punches at “Garo”. Mr. Paylan was able to save himself by
jumping over the barrier separating the meeting benches and the well
of the committee room.

This is an ominous development. Opposition MPs in Turkey are
henceforth faced with the danger of incarceration or physical
liquidation by the rulers of the Turkish Republic.

The lifting of immunity bill has now been approved by the committee,
backed by AKP, Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP), and opposed by HDP. The Turkish Parliament will
hear it on May 16 and move for its adoption. Its passage will be of no
surprise, as it was initiated by Turkish President Recep Tayipp
Erdogan. This move is Erdogan’s solution to muzzle and eliminate the
non-Turkic “elements” of the National Assembly.

Turkish authorities have already filed criminal “dossiers” against
many opposition MPs. More than 50 of the HDP’s 59 sitting deputies
have such “dossiers” filed against them. As soon as the lifting of
immunity is passed by parliament, they will be apprehended and
indicted with serious criminal charges.

Of course, Garo Paylan will not be spared. In his case, the charges
are bound to be more severe, because of his Armenian heritage. As Mr.
Paylan explained it, he is singled out and targeted because of his
“Armenian identity”. He described the manhunt against him very
clearly: “What they can’t digest is this: A person of Armenian
identity reveals their lies and stands upright… They want to see the
Armenian obeying them.”

The manhunt against Mr. Paylan should stop. The authorities in the
European Union and United States have the power to circumvent this
hunt. The Armenian National Committee of America has already appealed
to the White House and the U.S. State Department to condemn the
attacks against Mr. Paylan. The European Union should not hesitate to
do the same. They have to resort to immediate action.

The last time such manhunt was orchestrated in Turkey, it was against
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. The governments in the U.S.
and Europe did nothing to stop the manhunt. And Hrant Dink was
murdered on January 19, 2007.

The last time Turkish authorities rounded up members of Turkish
Parliament was on the eve of April 24, 1915, when the Armenian MPs
were taken out for their “personal safety”, then moved to a remote
place, and then murdered one by one. That was the beginning of the
Armenian Genocide.

This time we cannot let it come that again.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__horizonweekly.ca_news_details_85687&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=13UjrNHQtkySBktyGZP9IPYUsMN520QUsC-uk2t2Zw8&s=Lw7fnvwJlsV67StdcXKkQGPYneIGgqGRZIY8g87s_xY&e=

[Yervant1]

Analyst: Erdogan wants his "sultan" dreams to come true
20:28, 05.05.2016
Region:World News, Turkey
Theme: Politics, Analytics
Author: Tatevik Ghazaryan

YEREVAN. – A lifelong dream of Turkish president Recpe Tayyip Erdogan
is to justify his nickname – “a sultan”, Russian political analyst
Viktor Nadein-Rayevsky said.

Erdogan’s dream is to get president’s authority and to return to the
presidential system of government, political analyst told Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

Earlier on Thursday Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu announced his decision
not to stand in the vote for the leadership of Justice and Development
party. Therefore, Davutoglu would lose his seat.

The Turkish leader has never been hiding his dream to have a
presidential republic.

“But he failed to do so. Why? President’s authority is restricted by
the current Constitution. Prime Minister has a priority over the
president. The foreign policy is under the authority of the prime
minister,” said Nadein-Rayevsky, a senior fellow of the Russian
Academy of Sciences' Institute of World Economy and International
Relations.

Erdogan needs majority to change the Constitution, and the only option
to transform the system is to hold a nation-wide voting,
Nadein-Rayevsky added.

However, the analyst said the opposition will categorically oppose any changes.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__news.am_eng_news_325811.html&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=H8ADpuiU8jTVQ5rURRPXuV_6GizzzTpkbULaI-PohH0&s=infR-xqq-_4Xdi2byYXf_rQJtwVjnELfyjEoR6_PHCA&e=

[Yervant1]

Typical biased answer from a politician, as if he didn't hear about the attack in the Turkish parliament! He's the US ambassador to Turkey for heavens sake!

US Department of State 'concerned' over assault against
Turkish-Armenian lawmaker

11:59 • 06.05.16

The US Department of State addressed the recent brawl in Turkey’s
parliament that saw Garo Paylan, the Turkish-Armenian parliament
member elected from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner expressed the United States’ concerns
over the violent attackagainst the politician when he was asked to
comment on the incident.

QUESTION: The Armenian National Committee of America – it’s a lobby
group in Washington, D.C. – has called upon US Ambassador to Turkey
John Bass to publicly voice official US concern regarding the safety
of Garo Paylan, an ethnic Armenian elected to the Turkish parliament.
So what we have is Garo Paylan, who is representing Turkish Armenian
community and a member of HDP Kurdish party, has been both physically
and verbally attacked by members of AKP ruling party in the
parliament. Do you follow the situation, have any comment, or any
concerns regarding his safety?

MARK TONER: I don’t have the details of this particular individual or
his case. I’d have to look into it, to be frank. I mean, obviously,
the member of any political party who is being harassed or beaten or
detained in any way would be of concern to us. But I don’t have the
particulars here, so I’m going to refrain from further comment.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.tert.am_en_news_2016_05_06_garo-2Dpalyan-2Dmark-2Dtoner_2012588&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=ff9gzoYB_KaeULrhYbfJoV1UBha9pXUzrHIRpI5xgdo&s=F2aqgTeHzGXUFbmL1PC1KqYsrowPjeqY4Z0rW5X2CF0&e=

 

[Yervant1]

Opinion: After Davutoğlu’s resignation, Turkey becomes an
unpredictable country (video)

12:36 | May 6,2016 | Politics Հայ

Andranik Ispiryan, a Yerevan-based expert in Turkish studies, says the
resignation of Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, was ‘a palace
coup.’

“He was forced to resign. Davutoğlu’s friends carried out a coup
against him,” says the expert.

Asked what changes we can expect in Turkey’s foreign policy after the
resignation of the Turkish PM, Mr Ispiryan said, “Davutoğlu was the
architect of Armenian-Turkish relations. He was engaged in them from
the moment when he became the country’s Foreign Minister, he even
signed the Protocols with Armenia. We can consider the bitter
experience of Armenian-Turkish relations ended here.”

At the same time, Andranik Ispiryan stresses that Turkey’s former
premier was a balanced and well-educated political figure. “It was
Davutoğlu who wrote the April 24 address for Erdoğan. He was trying to
mitigate the mistakes of the Turkish President.”

After Davutoğlu’s resignation, Turkey becomes an unpredictable
country. The expert says Erdoğan was always jealous of the Prime
Minister Davutoğlu. “Erdoğan did not forgive his attempts to become
Prime Minister. Erdoğan wanted him to work as PM but not to feel
himself as PM. Erdoğan did everything so that Davutoğlu would not
appear on the front pages of newspapers.”

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__youtu.be_N-2D8s2uAABhU&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=8lcIHJ0ldHOyLiECvyLYNEq1-qW5XuZ4MCEVJKD8X4I&s=K0vZH4l2mt0s7MwlcB2s1-tJHVCyaDjsFtothkDqW7U&e=


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[Yervant1]

Turkey's Erdogan takes tough EU line after PM quits

BBC
6/5/16


Turkey's president has told the EU it will not change its anti-terror laws in return for visa-free travel, saying: "We'll go our way, you go yours".

Recep Tayyip Erdogan was speaking a day after PM Ahmet Davutoglu, who had largely negotiated the EU deal, said he was stepping down.

Reports said Mr Davutoglu also opposed Mr Erdogan's plan to give more power to the presidency.

Mr Erdogan said this was a national need not a personal requirement.

The EU has asked Turkey to revise its anti-terrorism laws as a condition for allowing Turkish citizens visa-free travel within the grouping for short stays.

The EU wants Turkey to narrow its broad definition of terrorism to match tighter EU standards. It is one of five EU criteria Turkey still has to agree to in order to meet the visa-free requirements.

But Mr Erdogan rejected this, insisting Turkey remained under a severe threat of terrorism.

"We will go our way, you go yours," he said in a speech broadcast live on television..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36229468

[Yervant1]

ANCA calls on US State Department to raise its voice in defense of Garo Paylan

15:20, 7 May, 2016

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian National Committee of America
calls on the State Department, Amnesty International, and Human Rights
Watch to raise their voices in defense of Garo Paylan, an ethnic
Armenian member of Turkey's Parliament who has come under attack for
his Armenian identity and the free expression of his views regarding
democracy, human rights, and genocide, ANCA informed “Armenpress”.

Garo Paylan, Armenian member of the Turkish parliament representing
Pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), has announced that he was
attacked by MPs representing the ruling “Justice and Development
Party” (JDP) on May 2 during the discussion of depriving the Kurdish
MPs of immunity for being ethnic Armenian.

The attack had been planned in advance, and the reason was that I am
an ethnic Armenian. I have posted that footage in the social networks.
Those interested can watch it and make sure”, Paylan said.

He added that those who attacked him were shouting “Garo is here, Garo is here”.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__armenpress.am_eng_news_846515_anca-2Dcalls-2Don-2Dus-2Dstate-2Ddepartment-2Dto-2Draise-2Dits-2Dvoice-2Din-2Ddefense-2Dof-2Dgaro-2Dpaylan.html&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=mA2pFCYRglbdpI-ctukqqRiQPXFDVeJsJvfPhB-yrgE&s=QUcbxFYTT33F6phuaaWDcIZRkJ6n4weAx2RRINLXYB8&e=

[Yervant1]

Erdogan hates journalists: International media’s reflection on arrest
of Turkish journalists

13:26, 7 May, 2016

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. International media has widely released
information on guilty verdicts in the trial of Cumhuriyet Editor Can
Dundar and Ankara Bureau Chief Erdem Gul. As “Armenpress” reports,
media stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan managed to
silence the journalists.

British BBC referred to this case entitled “Inprisonment to leading
Turkish journalists” and recalled Erdogan’s words which says
journalists “will pay dearly”.

German Bild released news in the headlines recalling that Erdogan was
against and did not recognize the Constitutional Court’s decision to
judge journalists in freedom.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper writes: “Justice and
Development” party and especially Erdogan have always publicly
attacked Dundar and Gul”.

Der Spiegel writes that “Cumhuriyet” journal criticized Turkish government.

T-ageszeitung also released information that before the verdict
assassination attempt was made against Can Dundar and published the
news entitled “Firstly shot, then condemned”.

Die Welt writes: “Erdogan hates journalists”.

Mr Dundar and Mr Gul were charged in November with espionage after
their reports in May 2015 alleging that Turkey's intelligence services
were sending weapons and ammunition to Islamist rebels fighting the
government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

A Turkish court has jailed two prominent journalists for revealing
state secrets, in a case widely criticized by international observers.
Erdem Gul received five years and Can Dundar five years and 10 months.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__armenpress.am_eng_news_846498_erdogan-2Dhates-2Djournalists-2Dinternational-2Dmedia-25E2-2580-2599s-2Dreflection-2Don-2Darrest-2Dof-2Dturkish-2Djournalists.html&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=Yk-RZBcEAK_8cFH0PklGALsK3fgfirAOfBt7eNP77WE&s=tVT9RoWZq7IdB4_HfomAVjZGwFAy4ylNqtWTa4Njukc&e=

[Yervant1]

CWs in hands of Iraq terrorists traced to Turkey

Sat May 7, 2016 6:8AM

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Vitaly Churkin (photo by AFP)

Russia says the terrorists operating near the city of Tikrit in
north-central Iraq have been found in possession of chemical weapons
that have been sourced from Turkey.

Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Vitaly Churkin made the
announcement to a UN Security Council meeting on Friday.

“These [explosive] compounds were either manufactured in Turkey or
sold there without the right of re-­export,” he said.

The Russian envoy said the discovery had been made following the
“analysis of core chemical components of explosive compounds seized
from” terrorists near Tikrit, “a subsequent identification of producer
companies, and a scrutiny of terms of sales to other countries.”

“Chemical warfare agents are rapidly spreading across the region and
are used by terrorists whereas some of the [security Council] member
states are stubbornly seeking to turn a blind eye on that and go on
blaming ‘the [syrian President] Bashar al-Assad’s regime’ for
everything.”

A chlorine-tinged cloud of smoke rises into the air from a bomb by
Daesh that was detonated by Iraqi army and Popular Mobilization
forces, in the town of al-Alam in Salahuddin Province, Iraq, March 10,
2015. (Photo by Reuters)

Russia and China have initiated a draft Security Council resolution
obligating the world body’s member states to immediately report to the
Council any action by non-government entities aimed at developing,
obtaining, possessing, transporting, transferring or using chemical
weapons.

Churkin suggested that, as a means of accusing the Syrian government
of carrying out chemical attacks, Western countries “are using
trumped­-up pretexts to block the Russian-Chinese initiative.”

Damascus surrendered its stockpiles of chemical weapons to a joint
mission led by the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) following an attack outside the Syrian capital
two years ago.

The August 21, 2013 attack saw chemical weapons being used in the
Ghouta suburb of Damascus, where hundreds of people died. According to
reports, the rockets used in the assault were handmade and contained
sarin.

While the attack was blamed by some countries on the Syrian
government, Damascus denied having been behind it. It agreed to a
US-Russia initiative to turn over its arsenal of chemical weapons
anyway.

Last December, Ahmed al-Gaddafi al-Qahsi, a cousin of former Libyan
dictator Muammar Gaddafi, alleged that the chemical weapons used in
Ghouta were stolen from Libya and later smuggled into Syria via
Turkey.

On Tuesday, the OPCW warned of the “extremely worrying” signs that the
Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, which is mainly active in Syria and
Iraq, could be developing chemical weapons of its own.

Turkey, alongside some other heavyweight regional players, are
believed to have been providing patronage and safe passage for the
Takfiri terrorism, which has been ravaging the countries since 2014.
Daesh terrorists are believed to have made over USD 800 million
dollars in black market oil sales in Turkey over the last eight months
of the last year. Turkey denies the accusations.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.presstv.com_Detail_2016_05_07_464365_Russia-2DIraq-2Dterrorists-2DTikrit-2DTurkey-2DChurkin_&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=Hbew4hYdaMBARyL8JM1gN93VC-lPH42L0-LUMkV_mi4&s=95CtvkLkZGimcqxTAW7dPB44DvvWi-dMxlpalAy2rC4&e=

[Yervant1]

Sultan’s Family? Erdogan’s Children ‘Walking in Golden Slippers’

© AFP 2016/ OZAN KOSE
MIDDLE EAST
00:57 08.05.2016(updated 01:00 08.05.2016)

While Turkish president Recep Erdogan’s annual income stands at the
modest level of €50,000,($57,000) his children appear to walk in
golden slippers. At the same time, there are no official statistics
that appear to explain where all that money originates from, the
German newspaper Bild reported.

© REUTERS/ CHRISTIAN HARTMANN
New Scandal? The Erdogans Spotted Laundering Money in EU
According to the report, Erdogan’s children occupy luxurious villas
and have businesses that are far from transparent. Bilal Erdogan, the
Turkish leader’s younger son, for instance, has been suspected of
several accounts of money laundering. He has been also spotted
engaging in the 2013 corruption scandal along with his sister Esra,
the paper notes.

Moreover, it was revealed last year that Bilal has long been covering
up Turkish businessmen that close underground bargains with the Daesh
extremist group with an annual value of up to $500 million. All
attempts to investigate alleged crimes by the president’s son within
Turkey had been “swept under the carpet," Aykut Erdogdu, member of
opposition People's Democratic Party (HDP) told earlier Sputnik
Turkiye.

© AFP 2016/ OZAN KOSE
See No Evil: Erdogan's Son Blocks Access to Websites Detailing His
Criminal Connections
The Russian Defense Ministry published last December satellite images
that laid bare oil smuggling from Daesh-controlled territories in
Syria to Turkey. Despite the country’s establishment’s denial of the
allegations of involvement in the dirty business, the trade went on
until at least till last February, the RT investigation unveiled.

"In fact, Bilal Erdoğan is up to his neck in complicity with
terrorism, but as long as his father holds office he will be immune
from any judicial prosecution," Gursel Tekin HDP vice-chairman told
Turkish journalists in August.

Now Recep Erdogan is looking into opportunities to expand both the
financial and political influence of his “clan,” Bild noted. After the
resignation of current prime-minister Ahmet Davutoglu, the president
has started to promote for that post Minister of Transport Binali
Yildirim or Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, who is Erdogan’s
son-in-law. Albayak is convenient to Erdogan, as he has proven his
loyalty multiple times.

Read more:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__sputniknews.com_middleeast_20160508_1039247953_erdogan-2Dchildren-2Dwalking-2Dgolden-2Dslippers.html-23ixzz480qqwags&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=M-A9d_6BGMzWeqgUqJWCh7PiRM1J7ZVHzZz3wdG_IiE&s=aGB2khBhVOii-zbIIJwxz_KcWavFMlgYdexIN4-xBUc&e=